5 Reasons To Visit The Barbican Conservatory

It’s here guys – the post I’ve been dying to write for almost two months on the place I’d been wanting to visit for what felt like forever. Reminiscing about it is almost as exciting as when I actually went there! Drum rolls please, because my heart’s beating hard for the Barbican Conservatory which I briefly mentioned here and here.

For those of you who may not know what the heck I’m on about, the Barbican Centre is a pretty spectacular arts and learning centre located in the City area of London. Fun fact: this is where I had my graduation ceremony! It’s a huge place and everything about it is so artsy and cool – I used to go there quite regularly as it always has fascinating exhibitions. Sadly, I rarely go these days, and being back there in July made me realise how much I love it and miss it!

I only ever heard about the Barbican Conservatory about a year ago or even less, and don’t know how it completely skipped my radar. Naturally, as soon as I did hear about it it was added to my ‘Things to do in London’ list, and the bf and I finally made it over there on the last Sunday of July. You know when you have really high expectations of something and when it happens you’re disappointed? Well, this is not one of those cases – I’m happy to report that this Conservatory was a dream and not the least bit disappointing. And because I think it’s a total London must-do, here are five reasons why you should visit the Barbican Conservatory.

It’s free. London is an expensive city, so you might as well make the best out of beautiful things that are free and different!

2. It’s like visiting a film set. Given the Barbican Centre’s Brutalist architectural style, it’s no surprise that the layout of the Conservatory is very unique and has a distinctive mood. I felt like I was in a scene from a dystopian, futuristic science-fiction horror drama. All the zombie genre lovers (like me) out there might get this vibe too.

3. You can have afternoon tea. And why would you not have afternoon tea in a city rainforest? If you’re tempted, there are two sittings (at 12 and 2:30pm) and book beforehand.

4. It has a cactus house! As well as hosting over 2,000 species of plants and a fish pond, there is a small and beautiful cactus house full of many amazing cacti varieties – a dream for the savviest of Instagrammers and plant lovers alike.

5. It’s an oasis of calm and beauty. Despite being in the heart of the City of London, our visit to the Barbican Conservatory was a very peaceful experience. Yes, it was very busy, but unlike Sky Garden for example it’s spacious and so full of plants that it’s easy to not feel like you’re in a sea of visitors.

Are you a “You’ve seen one plant, you’ve seen them all” kind of person? I still think you’ll love this place. While it’s definitely a feast for plant lovers, I don’t think you have to be obsessed with plants to enjoy this Conservatory. I for one am an aspiring plant lady and am yet to include keeping plants alive as a skill, but absolutely loved it and of course felt inspired.

It’s only open on selected Sundays and bank holidays, so make sure you plan your visit accordingly and enjoy this city jungle!